InuYasha Secret Soul of the Demon Dog
by Kitsune-Hanyou1
Summary: Sesshoumaru and all his wonderful evilness (*drools*) seeks a power that shames the Shikon no Tama. With it he woudl rival even Naraku in his devilshness and destruction and if only family can possess it - and IY doesn't have it - then who does? R&R PL


Inu-Yasha – Secret Soul of the Demon Dog

I

     Sesshoumaru stood tall in the glittering moonlight.  The night was dark with hushed secrets around him sinking the world into ever deepening shadows and yet he faltered not in his strong, proud stance.  A crisp summers wind fluttered his silvery hair, the highlight of the moon, full and round, seemed to surround him and fill the night with its eerie, pale glow.  Sesshoumaru was waiting.

     Waiting for Jakken.

     "Have you found anything new?" the demon asked into the pitch, the little toads stench betrayed his sniveling presence for miles.

     He stumbled from the inky undergrowth, trembling with utter fear as fell unto his Lords feet as if he were no more than vermin.  "Mi-Lord!" he cried in a pained tone.  "Mi-Lord, I bring ba . . . bad n . . . news!"

     A glinting orange eye fell upon Jakken with no more regard than to a dead rat.  The gaze seemed more threatening than the savage poison claws that twitched with mounting annoyance.

     Jakken shuddered and groveled lower until his pointed face became nearly buried in the dirt.  "M . . .Mi-Lord!  Your powers are superb and . . . and grand . . . Mi-Lord.  Why must you seek the Soul Power of your . . ."

     A flash of yellow light sent the hapless messenger tumbling back with a shallow red burn across his green face and frightened tears rolling from his eyes.  But, Sesshoumaru did not care.  He turned away ever so slightly, his sharp features in a neutral frown, as if nothing had happened.  A cold wind blew over them.  Jakken shivered with his hands over his head, whimpering to himself as he was careful not to miss a single word of his masters speech . . . for he never bothered to explain his actions.

     "What information do you have for me then?" Sesshoumaru never even glanced at his servant.

     "Mi . . . Mi-Lord!  I . . . Inu-Yasha has the Grave of your . . . of your father . . ." the little demon stammered, pulling himself upon the gruesome Staff of Skulls with confidence slowly slithering back into his consciousness.  "If he bears the Grave . . . then . . . then he could not _possibly_ bear the Soul Power . . ."

     "I know this, Jakken.  Do _not _deliver me information that I already know." Sesshoumaru growled, growing resentful.  

     "Yes, Mi-Lord but . . . but there is _another_ . . ."

     Silence filled the night for a moment, but Sesshoumaru's mind whirled with thought as Jakken stood stone still should his master respond.  "I never thought that _foul _pup could have survived." The demon laughed in a light, breathy voice.  A flickering rare smile crossed his slender face as he eyed Jakken coolly.  "Those _half-breeds _surprise me."

     "Then . . ." Jakken began to mutter, but quickly fell silent upon an impatient glare.

     "Then, Jakken, we find what we seek . . . and take it."

     The night was dark and consuming.  Inu-Yasha found himself alone in a nearby forest – but for some reason it felt different.  Strange, even.  

     "Kagome?" he called out tensely.  If she was there, then he did not want her to hear the fear that tingled in his voice.  "Kagome?"

     But she was not there.

     He was alone . . .

     The forest hissed like a slumbering beast and his hair fluttered as silvery moonlight danced its way through the foliage, beckoning him to follow.  His heart beat like a drum in his chest, his ears twitched and yet there was nothing yet to hear . . . and there was a scent . . .

     A scent that seemed so . . . so familiar . . .

     The half-demon followed the scent with curiosity.  What choice did he have?  The ground was cool with the night, he could feel the cold blades of grass between his bare toes as he followed.  The ground sloped up into the inky sky to a deafening cliff towards the pregnant moon . . .

     And there a figure stood . . . hooded and shadowed against the brilliant light . . .

     "Wha . . ." Inu-Yasha began.

     The hooded figure turned like a frightened animal, the light glinted upon her eyes . . . her silhouette was slim and youthful.  A white tuft of hair peeked from her dark, ankle long cloak that she held tight around her fragile body . . .

     Inu-Yasha awoke with a start, beads of anxious sweat pooled around his temples and his claws dug into the flesh of his tree to keep himself from falling.  'What was _that_?' he asked himself, his eyes quickly glanced around, making sure that he knew where he was.  

     Kagome slept quietly in her sleeping bag on the floor of Old Kaede's hut along with Shippou snoring soundly at her side.  Inu-Yasha was relieved, he could see them through the window from his perch . . . the wind rustled his hair . . . 

     A scent caught his attention . . .

     Inu-Yasha tensed as he turned to peer over the hissing canopy of the forest that bordered the small village.  He bristled, "Jakken."

     "Jakken is lurking in your forest, My Lord, Inu-Yasha?" the soft spoken voice of Myoga startled the half-demon nearly out of his tree, but he barely gave worried breath to betray his continuous aura of confidence.

     An angry orange eye snapped onto the flea perched on his shoulder as he huffed.  "Yeah?  And _what_ of it?"

     "Well, don't you at _least_ want to check it out?  Perhaps there's a jewel in peril or . . ."

     Inu-Yasha snorted and turned his back to the questionable scent, putting his hands behind his head.  "So what?  Let'im lurk!  Sesshoumaru ain't interested in jewels, we both know that." He patted the rusty old sword at his hip.  

     "Are you sure, Me Lord?"

     "Of course I am!  We both know he's after Tetsusiaga, not the Jewel of Four Souls!" Inu-Yasha paused with a rolling growl.  "And if they come any closer, I'll smell them . . . so you don't have to worry about anything!"

     "Oh . . . um . . . who says I'm worried?  Um . . . I was just . . . questioning his intent." The flea panicked at the mere indication of his coward ness.

     The hanyou cracked his knuckles to expose his claws and scoffed.  "If they seek business here . . . I'll be ready for them."

II

     Morning came upon swift wings.  Golden rays of life giving light spread across Kaede's small village and kissed the soft grasses and waters with its warmth.  As always, the children were the first to take advantage of the day as the adults prepared themselves for their chores and works.

     Inu-Yasha watched the world awake with day through half closed eyes.  The figure in his dream still haunted him.  Her eyes . . . her scent . . .

     A shadow moved across the inside wall of the Priestess Kaede's hut.  Inu-Yasha tensed and his eyes shifted to the open window, watching as Kagome stretched her aching body from a long night on the hard, wood floor.  Every worry suddenly left him as he watched her change from her pajamas . . .

     "Hey, Inu-Yasha?"

     He gasped in surprise and quickly felt his face burned hot with embarrassment.  "Shippou!  What do you want?"

     "What are you doing?"

     "None of your business!  Just resting!  Nobody asked you!" the hanyou blurted out angrily, crossing his arms and turning his back to the little fox-demon pup. 

     Shippou smiled cutely.  "Oh, I get it!  You wanted to see if Kagome was awake to . . ."

     "Hey, what's up?" Kagome's cheery voice interrupted.

     "**I did _NO_ such thing!**" Inu-Yasha roared with anger and leaped away into the village and away from the scrutiny.

     Kagome blinked hard and glanced a questionable glare to the fox pup.  "What's wrong with him?"

     Shippou shrugged. 

     "Soul Power?" Kagome repeated.  "What's so wonderful about that?  I thought the Shikon no Tama was what they're all after . . ."  
     Kaede nodded and sat very still in front of a small fire, watching as their meager breakfast began to boil.  Shippou sat as close to the flames as either Kaede of Kagome would allow, his little stomach rumbling impatiently.  "Oooohooo . . . wont this stuff cook any faster?"

     "Be patient, fox-demon, this will cook as fast as it allows itself to be." The old priestess sighed and poked the fire with her favorite stick.  "A Soul Power is the greatest of all magics of the world but every magical being has one.  And, I am afraid, in the case of the father of Inu-Yasha, that power is greater than most.  That kind of power is not easy to come by and even the great Jewel of Four Souls is barely a competitor."

     Kagome could not help but glance over at the defiant hanyou who's father was in question, he scowled with his back upon the open door frame.  "Feh, whatever."

     "Inu-Yasha, ye musn't discount yon father so.  He was a demon among demons and your brother desires his powers.  Since truly only family can attain such a power, if your brother were to acquire this magic . . ."

     "_Half_-brother." Inu-Yasha corrected with a grumble.

     "_Yes_, half-brother . . . if he could attain such a power . . . I'm afraid all hope would be lost.  With the power of _ten _Shikkon Jewels . . ." Kaede paused, her voice lost in its own fear.

     The group fell silent, Shippou rubbed his tummy impatiently as Kagome tried to contemplate the issue.  

     "There is only one thing that remains unanswered." The Priestess broke the silence in a thoughtful sigh, ignoring the raised eyebrow given by Inu-Yasha.  "Where this Soul Power could be hidden."

     "May I interrupt, Mi-Lady?" Myoga hopped from the windowsill towards Kaede with a polite bow.  "A Soul Power such as that of their dear, departed father can only be hidden in another soul.  Within family, of course."

     "Another soul?" Kagome gasped and glanced over to Inu-Yasha with worry in her eyes.  "That means . . . if Sesshoumaru is _looking _for this power then that means . . . _you_ must have it!"  
     All eyes fell upon the hanyou and yet he acted as if he was not even there.  His ears perked towards the forest and his eyes squinted in the waning summer light.

     "No, such power would have been realized a long time ago.  And with _his _lust longing for the Jewel . . . with a power like his fathers he would no longer care for it." Kaede sighed.  "And besides, I would have at least sensed it."

     Kagome blinked hard.  "Then, if the Soul Power can only be in family and it's neither Sesshoumaru or Inu-Yasha that has it . . ."

     A silence fell for a moment, all eyes fixated upon Inu-Yasha and then to Myoga, searching for answers.  

     "Well, I will be . . . mayhaps I know who bears the Soul Power of your father!" the flea stated thoughtfully, pausing to make sure he had the right words to explain.  "Sesshoumaru could not have it on his own, he is a full demon and their father knew better than to bestow it upon him.  Inu-Yasha could not have it because he bear the power to carry the Tetsusiaga and holds his fathers grave.  The one to bear it had to have been the least likely of them all . . ."

     "Just spit it out already!" Kagome urged loudly.

     Myoga eyed her carefully and frowned.  "His younger sister has it."

     A loud crash shocked the silence as Inu-Yasha stormed off towards his favorite tree in a huff, leaving a gaping hole in the door frame.  Kagome sighed and shook her head sadly.

     "And what happens if Sesshoumaru finds his sister . . . with the powers?" Shippou wondered out loud.

     "Well, the only way to extract the Soul Power from another soul is to kill it . . ." the flea explained softly.  "And on top of Sesshoumaru's powers, he would shame Naraku in his devilishness . . ."

III

     Inu-Yasha stared at the moon long and hard, dark clouds like blots of black ink crossed its face as he watched it.  Everything about the night approaching angered him, it's darkness . . . it's foreboding . . .

     "Inu-Yasha!" Kagome's voice startled him in the severity of her tone, but he had scented her approach.  "What's going on?  Shouldn't you be out _looking _for this Soul Powered _sister_ of yours?"

     The Hanyou snorted.  "Feh."

     The girl crossed her arms across her chest.  "Don't you even _care_ that this is _your_ younger sister we're talking about here?  Or at least your father's _soul_?"

     Still she gained no response.

     "Well then," Kagome sighed angrily.  "Why don't you _SIT_ . . ." Inu-Yasha yelped as the rosaries spell tugged him face first into the ground with a painful thud.  Kagome let him lay there for a few minutes before finishing her sentence. ". . . and listen to me!" she paused and waited for Inu-Yasha to at least look at her.  "Why don't you want to get involved?"

     "It's none of your business." He huffed, wiped the dirt from his kimono and turned his back to her.  "You wouldn't understand."

     "Oh, I wouldn't, huh?  Why don't you give me a chance?  This poor girl's gonna _die_ because _you_ wont . . ."

     "GOOD!" the hanyou roared as he turned on Kagome, his eyes raging with hatred.  "Let her die!"

     A look of shock blanched over Kagome's stern face.  "In . . . Inu-Yasha!  Y . . . your sister? Your own _sister_?"  
     "Stop sticking your nose in my business like this.  It's none of _yours_!"

     "What do you mean?  I thought you _trusted _me!" she took a step back and Inu-Yasha's heart skipped a beat.  In her eyes he could see . . . he could not tell – either fear or sadness.  Fear of him?

      He didn't want Kagome to fear him!  Neither did he want to make her cry . . . Inu-Yasha turned away, his eyes to the grass at his feet as he sighed, defeated.  "She killed my mother," he mumbled coldly, admitting.  "That's why I wont help her."

     "I . . . Inu-Yasha . . ." Kagome's voice was chocked with shock.

     "The monks told me that after she was born . .." Inu-Yasha looked up to the moon for a moment to gather himself.  "They let me wait outside the room . . . I heard my mother screaming . . . she cried so loudly . . ." a cautious glance fell over Kagome again, he didn't want to reveal his pain, but he felt as if he could.  Just this once.  To Kagome.  He looked back down to his feet.  "When the head monk had my sister . . . right after she was born, they wrapped her in a blanket so that no one could see.  All I saw of my own sister was a tuft of white hair . . . they told me that she was no more than another filthy halfbreed like me and that when my mother saw her that she was so upset . . . she died . . ."

     Kagome paused for a long time before putting a tender hand on his shoulder.  "I'm sorry . . ."

     With a gentle stroke, he put his hand on hers and closed his eyes.  They stayed that way for a long moment, but then he stepped away with a shrug, regaining his senses.  "Don't be."

     "Inu-Yasha," Kagome began in a scolding tone, her hands firmly on her hips.  "You can't just let Sesshoumaru get your fathers Soul Power!  You can't just let your sister _die_ like that . . ."

     The hanyou leaped into the tree with his back to her.  "I told you, I don't care."

     "Inu-Yasha!" Kagome growled angrily, rage mounting at his stubbornness.  She clenched her fists . . ."Fine, if you're not gonna go . . ."

     Inu-Yasha froze and peeked behind him.  He knew what _that_ meant!  "No, Kagome! " he shouted as he leaped firmly in front of her.  "You can't go wandering around the forest at night with Sesshoumaru in there!  That's crazy!"

     "Well, someone needs to do something and I don't see _you_ doing anything about it!" she poked him hard on his shoulder and stormed off to Kaede's hut.  

     "Kagome!"  
     "What?" she snapped, never stopping.

     Inu-Yasha grabbed her hand and yanked her back.  "I wont let you go out there!"

     "Why not?"

     He snarled.  "I'm _not _gonna let you go out and get yourself _killed_ for that _stupid_ . . . look . . . she's not worth it!  Sesshoumaru is _not _gonna find her anyway!"  
     Kagome stopped and glared suspiciously.  "What do you mean?"

     "She's not in the forest, trust me." He lied.

     "Oh really?" she eyed him carefully.  

     Inu-Yasha's heart fluttered with worry.  Could she really tell that he was lying?  He didn't even _know_ where she was!  

     She smiled.  "Okay, fine.  I wont go then."

     Inu-Yasha nearly fell over in shock.

     Kagome brushed her hair back in relief.  "Phew, I was afraid I would have had to go out there all alone in the forest.  By myself!" she sighed sarcastically and headed back towards the hut.  "Good, now I can, like, brush my hair – or something."

     The hanyou stood, dumbfounded as Kagome walked away from him . . . 

     Inu-Yasha lay on his tree branch, his knees up and his hands behind his silvery head as he uttered an exhausted sigh.  Kagome had not spoken to him since just after sunset and it was well past then when the moon was nearly above him like a motherly gaze.  

     Myoga leaped onto his shoulder.  "Me-Lord, why have you not gone to find your sister?"

     He bristled in the deathly quiet of the night, the flea's wise voice breaking the perfect silence that was his sanctuary.  "Is Kagome asleep?"

     "Yes, Me-Lord." 

     "Good.  That stupid girl's gonna get herself killed with all her _good _deeds she conjures up." The hanyou grumbled angrily to himself, turning his gaze away from the forest.  "Glad I'm not like that, always butting into other peoples business . . ."

     Waiting until Inu-Yasha's trailing sentence finished with an impatient huff, the flea submitted unto him with a slight bow.  "Tell me, Me-Lord . . . if I may ask . . . do you really believe that your little sister was the cause of your mothers untimely death . . . I mean, at birth and all, was it her fault?"

     Inu-Yasha did not answer.  Mygoa frowned and hopped on the branch that reached out in front of them, staring into the forest with saddened eyes.  "Do you really believe what those monks said to you, all those years ago?  I mean, after all they've ever said to you and, well _done _to you, Me-Lord?" Myoga waited a moment for a response, but received none.  He turned . . .

     But Inu-Yasha was gone . . .

     Myoga smiled, relieved . . .

IV

     The scent had been faint, barely traceable . . . but it was there . . . and growing stronger the further he tracked into the forest.  Jakken's stench was overpowering, like rotten meat, but the other scent he followed was still there.  The stupid little toad had apparently been traveling in the opposite direction of his quarry, Inu-Yasha noted to himself, and Sesshoumaru was not very close by either.

     Darkness consumed the hanyou as he tore through the fronds and leaves, the cool night wind hissed through the dewing canopy.  Cool blades of grass slipped between his toes . . .

     It felt just like the dream . . .

     The ground sloped upward towards the gaping moon . . .

     And there, a figure stood . . . hooded and shadowed against the night . . .

     Just as she had appeared . . .

     Inu-Yasha's heart skipped a beat as the hooded figure turned towards him, acknowledging his presence.  Moonlight glinted from an orange eye that peeked from under the concealing hood that was held tight against her slim, youthful body . . .

     Her gaze averted immediately as she pulled the hood further over her face, but she continued to watch him carefully.

     At first, Inu-Yasha did not know what to say . . . the two stood in dead silence for what seemed like forever, neither moving ever so much to take a breath.  The wind tugged at the girls dark cloak as she hovered precariously near the sheer edge of a fatal cliff, her bare toes curled in the grasses that grew from the very lip over the nothingness.  

     Inu-Yasha stared wide eyed with his mouth agape before a single thought even bothered to cross his mind, he took a trembling step towards her . . .

     The child quickly disappeared into night over the edge of her cliff within the blink of an eye . . .

     Inu-Yasha howled in surprise as he leaped forward, hands outstretched to catch her as she fell . . . but he only grabbed air as he slid to the crumbling ledge from where she had stood on his belly.  "No . . ." he moaned softly, under his breath.  "You _idiot_ . . ."

     The misty riverbed below boiled with its laziness as he strained his gaze for any sign of the fallen, one hand outstretched still as the other dug into the dirt just under the mossy lip . . .

     A shadow just below him caught his attention, a hole barely visible just below the top of the cliff face where she had slipped into before falling . . .

     Leaves rustled behind him as the cloaked figure stole into the night as swift as the wind.  Inu-Yasha leaped to his feet, shouting as he took off at top speed through the underbrush after her.  "Wait . . ." he cried.  "Stop!"

     The thick bushes of the forests old growth tore at his fabric as she frustratingly kept just a few steps ahead of him, the white tip of her tail ruffling under her cloak, betraying any camouflage her dark clothes might bring her in that night in the forest.  

     "Wait!  Stop!  Please!" the half-demon felt his voice waver with uncertainty – perhaps even _fear_ as the chase took to the tree tops with a thunderous rush of leaves and claws against bark and wood.   

     Gracefully the pair leapt from branch to branch, never missing a step nor a breath as they danced their way amongst the foliage, birds tearing before them in fear.  But the stranger was smaller and more agile than Inu-Yasha, and thus took advantage of her size and climbed into the higher branches where he would no doubt be unable to reach her.  All this with the same grace as he as she evaded him swiftly and with smooth strides screaming with the same scent of fear as though she were an animal hunted . . .

     The forest was waning into a great clearing marred by an ancient dry riverbed slicing through in rolling indentations and the forest stretched away from them far further than even a great, purposeful leap could reach.  The girl gasped in surprise as she quickly realized that she had no where else to jump ahead of her and the branch in which she had landed upon cracked and plummeted fifty feet towards the forest floor . . .

     But Inu-Yasha was right behind her on a lower branch and grabbed onto her cloak as she passed.  "Hold on!" he gasped, driving the claws of his free hand into the trunk of the tree.  "I got ya!"

     "NO!" the frail creature swiped out at him with a frantic cry and equally dangerous claws.  Inu-Yasha fell back, the girls cloak tearing under the pressure and watched helplessly as she fell to the forest floor with a painful thud and rolled warily into the dried riverbed . . . where Inu-Yasha was already waiting for her, perched upon the grassy lip of the bank and leaped down to confront the pursued

     Quickly the little creature adjusted her hood and cloak and turned away to run again . . . but Inu-Yasha grabbed her and pushed her hard up against the dried, crumbling riverbed wall.

     "Why did you run from me?  Who _are_ you?" he growled as the girl cringed from him, hiding her face from his view.  Growing impatient, Inu-Yasha picked her up again and slammed her hard against the wall to get his answers . . . the dark hood of the cloak slid down past her pointed white dog ears and revealed a head of long, lush, silvery hair . . .

     "You wont get my fathers SOUL, _Sesshoumaru_!" 

     Inu-Yasha dropped her in shock and took a gaping step back, speechless.  The young girl quickly gathered herself as she had been released by shaking hands and pulled the hood of her cloak back to cover her ears and turned her shining orange eyes away from his, careful not to meet his gaze.  In fact, she never _once_ met his eyes.  Not once!  

     At first, the words could not come from Inu-Yasha's mouth . . . yet, when they did, he broke the consuming silence, trying to hide his emotions.  "I . . . I'm not _that_ . . ." he paused.  "Are you . . . _could _you be A . . . Ayame?"

     The smell from the young creature was unmistakable hanyou, the likeness to him remarkable!  Her ears . . . her hair . . . bright orange eyes . . .

     "You . . . You are Ayame, aren't you?" he tried again, watching for her gaze . . . waiting for her to look at him and growing impatient when she refused . . .

     She looked away and with a disgusted sneer said their eldest brothers name.  "I have no name, _Sesshoumaru_!"

     Inu-Yasha bristled angrily, feeling his blood boil with the very _indication_ that he was _anything _similar to _him_!  "I am **_NOT_** Sesshoumaru!" 

     Ayame stepped back in fright, Inu-Yasha reached out to try to stop her but she pulled away from his friendly claws and slammed heavily into the solid body of none other than Sesshoumaru who appreared directly behind her as if from nowhere.  Before either could react, the demon reached out and gripped the pups silvery hair in his hands, slipping in between his slender fingers and lifted her from the ground.

     "Oh, Mi-Lord, success!" Jakken leaped about in small circles with delight.  "What shall we do with this _filthy_ halfbreed, Mi-Lord?"

     Sesshoumaru sneered and readied to respond, but Ayame twirled angrily against her captor, lashing out her devastating claws for him to release her . . . her pinky claw sliced a shallow wound on the demons cheek.  He threw her to the ground in disgust, taking a pale hand to his new wound that crossed each of the two dark stripes on his right cheek, poison began to draw into his claws in a green halo.  "You _dare_ strike me, halfbreed?" 

     The Tetsusiaga stopped the fatal blast with a great metal clang, deflecting its energy away and into the forest.  "Leave her alone, Sesshoumaru!"

     "And why would you save this creature?  You hardly even know her.  Is she _not_ the one who killed your human mother?" Sesshoumaru gave his half brother a sly grin, drawing his hand back and twitching his fingers to attack.  "I would think you would have _enjoyed_ watching her death.  A _revenge_ sort of thing."

     Inu-Yasha bristled, raising the summoned sword in her defense.  "You don't know anything about me!  So go crawl back in that _hole_ you slithered out from!" 

     He stepped in between the young girl lying in the dirt in shock and her assailant who took a small and yet undaunted step back, allowing room for the demonic blade and its bearer.  "Do you not realize the Soul Power of our great father?  Gaining that . . . I would be _unstoppable_!" he gleaned devilishly.  "I certainly would stop wasting my time chasing after the Tetsusiaga and would send you to meet that pathetic, human _mother_ of yours!"

     Inu-Yasha gave a hateful swing at Sesshoumaru with a throaty roar, but the target only dodged away in a blurred flash of speed.  The hanyou fell to the ground, careful to move the blade away from his body as he rolled and regained his feet.  But the demon was no where near him.  "Don't you _touch_ her!"

     Ayame picked herself up and bared her pointed teeth as Sesshoumaru neared her . . . her eyes locked onto his . . .

     The Tetsusiaga lashed out again, but missed by a mere hairs breath, barely rustling the sleeves of his target.  Sesshoumaru glanced back in annoyance, distaste written across his face as he released a poison whip from the tip of his claws, knocking Inu-Yasha to the ground.  "Such a fool," he sighed, turning back to Ayame.  "Now, you will give me what I desire."

     An arrow struck the rocks just above the demon's outstretched hand and clattered harmlessly to the ground.  "_Wow_, I'm getting good at this!" Kagome stood just above them on edge of the riverbed, another arrow notched and drawn.  "Don't you move again," she pulled the bow taunt.  "This one's aimed at your cold heart."

     Inu-Yasha sneered and patted the dust from his kimono.  "I _think_ I can handle this on my _own_!  Who asked _you_ to show up anyway?"

     "I figured you might need some help and . . ."

     But Kagome was cut short as the vile, poison whip lashed for her, striking the ground where she had just been standing.  Inu-Yasha barely choked on his own gasp as the girl slid down the concaving slope of the riverbed and landed on top of Ayame, bringing both of them tumbling to the ground in a confused mess.  

     Sesshoumaru's cruel face twisted into a pleased smile.  "Isn't this _interesting_?  I will attain our fathers Soul Powers _and_ destroy this wench that has done nothing but help you interfere in my great plans!"

     "Leave them _alone_!" Inu-Yasha growled.  "Or so help me . . ."

     Jakken bounced happily just on the outskirts of the battle, keeping well away of Inu-Yasha.  "Ohoho!  We got'em now, Mi-Lord!"  There is _no _escaping the great and _powerful_ Lord Sesshoumaru! 

     Inu-Yasha lashed out once again with the Tetsusiaga in hand only to have Kagome thrust in the path of the strike . . . he threw to the sword to the side in mid swing, the blades magic taking it deep into the newly opened earth . . .  

     "That's a _good_ little halfbreed," the demon smiled viciously and threw Kagome to the side as if she were no more than trash, taking the helpless child by the throat in a deadly grip and holding her from the ground.  "Now, to extract what is rightfully mine."

     Ayame flailed yet the strength of her half brother more than matched her own, strangling the very life from her as green light began to dribble to his raised fingers and hand as Sesshoumaru readied himself for a killing blow.  A slight whimper exited the young pups lips as she gasped for breath, watching as Inu-Yasha rushed to Kagome's aid and reached back for his stunted sword . . .

     The green light from the demons hand haloed the both of them as the hanyou-warrior raced forward, the Tetsusiaga blazing from its base and held up to strike . . .

     Sesshoumaru's narrow eyes twitched knowingly and turned suddenly at the very last moment with the full force of his poison blast that sent Inu-Yasha and his sword skittering across the dry, dusty ground.  The hanyou rolled to a stop over sharpened rocks, bleeding dark blood from a deep would that would have otherwise killed a human, and managed to stumble to his knees as his brother neared.

     Captive still in his grip Ayame struggled with her might, tearing at the demons flesh before he finally grew disgusted with her and forced her into the ground with a mighty thrust.  The earth crumbled around her as she lay stone still at the demons feet, he turned back to Inu-Yasha with a pleased expression.  "Funny how you shall meet your end, brother.  Saving the very creature that _killed _your own mother . . ." he sneered.  "And I had brought back her soul, _reborn _her and you despised me for it.  Hated me for it." He grinned coolly at the irony.  "Now, how _fair_ is that?"

     The compassionless voice smeared with hate and the joy of driving a stake into the hearts of those he wished to kill enraged Inu-Yasha as he listened.  He struggled to get to his feet but was struck down, the vile claws cracked, anxiously awaiting to finally deal a death blow . . .

     Ayame slipped in between them, her eyes like fire fixated upon those of Sesshoumaru, cloak torn away to reveal her violet kimono and lush tail that drifted back from her like a true wolf down to her ankles.  Silvery hair rolled away from her in the wind and her ears twitched angrily.  "Leave."

     Sesshoumaru did not move nor did he allow his expression to change to reveal the shock that he felt as the weakling girl stood her ground.  "Saving your brother who wished you dead?"

     Orange eyes narrowed, she did not move.  "Leave us all in peace, Sesshoumaru."

     "I will not leave until I have gathered what I need from you, _filthy_ halfbreed!" 

      "Ayame!" Kagome shouted from the sidelines.

     "Ayame, you _idiot_!  Get out . . ." Inu-Yasha began in vain, reaching to pull her back, but he was too late.

     Sesshoumaru grabbed Ayame by her thick hair and lifted her roughly from the ground, her bare feet dangled . . . Inu-Yasha pulled himself to get her as green demon-light exploded around them . . .

     The child hanyou fell to the ground before Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru suddenly took a frightened step back.  Silvery hair billowed around Ayame as she painfully and porously pushed to stand upon her feet as a white fire suddenly engulfed her, tearing into the sky in white hot flames.  A great dog demon howled into the moon, taking on a spirit form greater than the mountains, greater than the sky . . .

     Inu-Yasha pulled back, expecting to be scolded by the flames and yet they touched him and he did not burn.  The great spirit beast lunged forward, his muzzle snapping about, eyes glowing bloody crimson while the child stood amidst the fury with fists clenched and eyes narrowed and the same frightening red with the powers that rushed through her veins . . .

     The brilliant white light exploded into the night skies . . .

V

     Ayame awoke with a start in the middle of an empty room with the late afternoon sunlight ripping through an open window.  Uncloaked, she remained vulnerable in the small hut, snug with her wounds treated under a heavy blanket to keep away the chill.  A little candle burned beside her as her cloak hung, newly clean with the tears and holes repaired with kindly sewed patches.

     Someone was watching her from above, she sensed.  Her aching body tensed as she pulled herself to tired feet and reached for her cloak, wrapping herself within its comfort.  Ears twitched but she heard nothing as she approached the open door, cautious with her nose to the wind.  Ayame could smell her brother nearby, and a few other humans milling about . . . that strange girl, Kagome, for instance . . .

     But if she could only slink off into the woods . . . then everything would be alright . . .

     "Hey you!" a shrill voice startled Ayame as she found herself out in the open.

     The girl whirled around to find Kagome approaching with a huge smile across her face, Ayame turned away.

     "We've been worried about you!  You've been unconscious for a _week_!  Well, just about!  Are you okay?" 

     With a sullen frown as her answer, the child hanyou turned her back to the girl and made for the forest. 

     "Inu-Yasha's been worried about you, too." Kagome leaned close to mention so he could not hear.  "He wont admit it, but I can tell."

     Ayame's ears twitched in surprise as she gave a side glance to her brother who quickly turned his back to her from his perch on his favorite tree as if he did not care.  The same tree who's branch looked into the open window of the hut where she lay.  Ayame thought of the presence that watched her . . .

     Toying with her hair with her tiny, clawed fingers, she avoided Kagome's pleading eyes.  "Are you both okay?"

     "We're all fine!  You used up a lot of your energy – well, Life Force, as Priestess Kaede put it – saving us from Sesshoumaru . . . and, well . . . I'm very grateful.  Inu-Yasha is too, but he might not show it too much . . ." Kagome smiled and paused, clapping her hands together with inspiration.  "_HEY_!  I know!  Why don't you stay with us?  We could use another . . ."

     Ayame whirled towards her with a savage hiss.  "No!"

     Kagome was shocked.  "W . . . Why not?"

     "It's none of your business," the pup growled, turning back for the forest.  "It's a long story and, besides, I don't think I'm very much welcomed here."

     "But . . . why?" Kagome glanced up to Inu-Yasha in his tree and then back down to the girl.  "Are you afraid of Inu-Yasha?  I mean . . . about your past and all . . ."

     Ayame bristled.  "How?  How do you know?"

     "Well . . . I just . . . well . . . is it . . . I mean . . . Is it true?"

     There was a long, sad silence between them before Ayame sighed defeated, eyes dropping further to the side and back to the forest that had been her home for her entire life.  The comfort of its shadows and the cloak that she had around her and yet her she allowed herself out in the open . . . "Then . . . I'm sure you've already heard.  I killed my mother."

     "How?  How could it be _your_ fault?"

     "When I was born . . . I was so . . . so hideous . . . a _monster_!  When I looked upon my mother . . . when she saw what . . . what I _was_ . . . she died of fear . . . of embarrassment.  Of grief at what she had brought forth." She paused.  "Because of me . . ."

     "That can't be true!  It just can't!  You're not a monster!" Kagome began, her voice high with anger.  "Who told you all that?"  
     "The old woman that raised me, Sarani.  She told me that I should never look into the eyes of another lest I kill them with my monstrous appearance." She watched her feet carefully.  "So when I finally ran away from her strict and cruel home I hid in the forest and am destined to wander there for the rest of my life alone." She frowned and sighed.  "Thank you for your help, then.  I will trouble you no longer."

      Ayame turned her back to the stunned and speechless Kagome and began at a quick pace back to the forest.  Kagome gasped, "But you can't go off by yourself!  Who will watch over you?  What'll happen if Sesshoumaru comes after you again?"

     "Don't worry about him.  This power I hold will not get in his filthy hands, that I can assure you of."

      Kagome watched helplessly as the child hanyou disappeared past the rice patty fields and into the forest that had once belonged to Inu-Yasha, ironically.  There was nothing she could do for her, as much as Kagome wished there was something . . . anything . . .

"Inu-Yahsa!" she cried in a fit of anger.  "Why don't you go after her!  For crying out loud, she's only a . . ."

     But when she turned around, Inu-Yasha was gone . . .

     Ayame stood stone still at the edge of the cliff once again.  The wind rushed against the cloak that clung around her, her tail fur rustled in the wind as the hood covered her ears and head.  Great black birds crossed the open sky with their cries of camaraderie as she watched them, wishing she could work up the nerve to just leap into the open sky too and plummet . . .

     "So." Inu-Yasha's deep voice penetrated the silence of thought.  "Why'd you leave?"

     The pup tensed but kept her back to him.  

     "That was pretty stupid of you to attack Sesshoumaru like that, you know.  You could've gotten yourself killed."

     "_And_?"

     Inu-Yasha took slow steps forward until he was at her side, but never looked down to her.  The black birds swirled across the pale blue vastness of the beyond, careless and carefree.  "Kagome seemed to have taken a liking to you."

     "That's strange, we hardly know each other." Ayame remarked plainly.

     "Well," he smiled at her cool humor.  "She is a strange one."

      There was long silence between them.  

     "Inu-Yasha . . ." Ayame began, her voice tight as she struggled to maintain her composure.  "Why is it that you sought after me after what I did to our mother?  I mean, I realize that I bear our fathers Soul Powers and all . . . but . . ."

     "I don't care about the Soul Power, I'm glad you have it.  You need it." He interrupted her sharply, pausing after a long, soft sigh.  "Do you wanna know something?"

     She looked in his direction, but never at him. 

     "Do you . . . do you know why mother gave you the name Ayame?" Inu-Yasha waited for a response, but her stunned silence beckoned him to continue.  "Before you were born . . . she said to me that she wanted to name you Ayame because it meant 'iris' . . . and that was her favorite flower . . . she thought they were so incredibly beautiful . . ."

     A tear slipped from the pups eye.  "I'm sorry . . ."

     "It wasn't your fault, you know, things like that happen sometimes . . . Before you were taken from the monastery I had a chance to see you one last time . . . you held onto my finger and you looked right at me.  I didn't understand then and I guess I let hate in my way but . . ." he looked down to her gently.  "You didn't kill our mother, Ayame.  It wasn't your fault."

     "I just wished that things could have been different . . ."

     Inu-Yasha nodded.  "Me too . . . but you can't beat yourself up about it, Ayame.  Just . . . move on." He paused, solemnly watching for the birds that had vanished.  "You can stay with us for a while . . . if you want.   I mean . . . you know . . . you don't have to wander out here alone, if you don't want to . . ."

     Ayame blinked hard and looked up to Inu-Yahsa, tears glistening in her orange eyes.  "With this power that I never knew I had . . . if these powers are so sought after by the likes of Sesshoumaru . . ."

     "Yeah, but he's really the only one who can use that power, other than you or I or any of _his _offspring." He paused again.  "You can help us get the rest of the Shikon Jewel!  Together we could really do some . . ."

     A sudden realization hit her as she glared at him.  "I have to learn to control this . . . whatever . . . Soul Power.  If I stay with you and fight with you I might be more of a burden rather than a help.  I can't see myself at your side yet . . ." 

     Inu-Yasha met her eyes, finally.  "I want you to."

     "I don't think that it's my place to . . ."

     "Oh shut up!" he snapped.  "I didn't come all the way out here to have you just . . ." he calmed and sighed.  "Look, if you want to wander the woods forever, then be my guest.  Me?  I'm going home."    

     With a huff, he walked away, he could feel her eyes watching him but when he stopped to wait for her she did not come.  When he turned to ask her what was wrong and why she was being so foolish for not joining him, she was gone . . .

     And Inu-Yasha was alone in his forest at the very cliff that haunted his dreams with the sister that he had lost and had now lost again destined to forever wander within the shadows with the pain of her past at her heels.  While Inu-Yasha's anger was his burden and Kagome had come to ease his pain, it was Ayame's heart that held her back from a normal life.  Truthfully, he admitted to himself, he never hated her.  Honestly, he remained close to this forest so near to a human village in his youth because he sensed her there, inadvertently keeping an eye on her . . . the only family he had . . . and when he had become sidetracked by Kikyou and the Jewel he lost sight of her.

     Now, he realized, she will always be within his thoughts . . .  

     With a heavy heart, the lone hanyou turned back towards his village with the sense that one day soon, he hoped, he and his sister would be fighting along side each other against Naraku and the other evils that plagued the land.  She would return to him, he was certain of this, because for all her short life, he knew, she trusted him.  And, he promised himself, he would always watch over her. 


End file.
